


The Mayor's Ball

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-19 02:59:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13695480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: Jim and Blair are undercover





	The Mayor's Ball

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2018 Sentinel Bingo prompt 'cross dressing/costume'

The Mayor's Ball

by Bluewolf

"You've got to be joking!" Blair stared in horror at Simon.

The big Captain shook his head. "Nope. Orders from the Commissioner. They need a couple to go undercover at the Mayor's Ball next week, and they want you and Jim to do it."

"Why not Jim and Megan? Why me?"

Jim's lips were twitching slightly. "Could be Norris's way of getting back at you for refusing to cut your hair," he suggested.

Blair took several deep breaths. "Has Norris seen my face an hour after I shave? It takes just that long for me to get a five o'clock shadow!"

"So you take a razor in with you, sneak off to the restroom every threequarters of an hour or so, and shave again."

"And then put on more makeup," Jim added.

"Seriously," Simon said, "I know Megan is well able to hold her own with anyone when it comes to unarmed combat, but Norris is adamant that Jim's partner has to be a male officer in drag. And if someone was suspicious and tried to pull your 'wig' off - "

"They'd get a loud scream and a punched face!" Blair snarled.

Simon chuckled. "I think it's really just that Norris knows Jim will do best with his regular partner. No, I didn't tell him anything about the sentinel thing, but he's definitely noticed that Jim does better with you along than anyone else."

"Why do they need undercover cops there?" Jim asked.

"They had a bit of bother with pick-pockets at the last Ball, however they got tickets."

And all Jim could do was shake his head. Talk about a waste of his - and Blair's - time. This was a job that could easily be done by anyone - even half a dozen experienced uniforms.

***

A week later, Jim and a surprisingly feminine-looking Blair presented their tickets at the Ball. Not that they were the only ones; Simon had done a bit of judicious arm-twisting, and Megan and Rafe were there as well. But the two pairs had strict instructions that they did not know each other... unless they ran into a serious problem, in which case the other pair could help.

The easiest way to circulate was to dance. Knowing that, they had practised at home - Blair felt he would find it difficult to follow when he was used to leading. However, it turned out to be easier than he had expected, and as they waltzed around the room both watched the crowd mingling and separating, some moving onto the dance floor, some claiming tables and ordering drinks.

Rafe and Megan were also dancing, and Jim was mildly amused to see that he and Blair were more relaxed about it than their fellow detectives. In other words, they were better dancers... but he knew that they, too, were watching the crowd.

The evening progressed smoothly. After a while Jim and Blair claimed a table; Jim went to the buffet table and filled plates for them both. Blair grinned as Jim returned, just dodging an already half-drunk guest making his way back to the bar.

"This, I could get used to," Blair murmured as Jim put the plates down.

Jim chuckled. "You're doing such a good job of it that I can see Simon giving you more work in drag."

"He certainly couldn't give them to you, man mountain that you are!" Blair muttered.

Jim's chuckle intensified. "Even Megan is taller than you are!"

They tucked into their... they could hardly say 'dinner' because of the buffet nature of the meal. Blair had a strong suspicion that many of the regular attendees of the Mayor's social events knew to eat something filling before attending; these finger foods, although very tasty, were  hardly a satisfactory meal. Well, maybe for some of the female attendees who were watching their weight, but certainly not for the men.

It seemed that Jim felt the same. "Refill?" he asked.

"Yes."

Jim picked up their empty plates and returned to the buffet table. He was just choosing their second platefuls when he heard Blair. "Jim!"

He whirled, and saw Blair in the process of grabbing a man several tables over from where they had been sitting. The man was struggling, trying to get away, but Blair had him in a tight grip. Jim ran, pushing his way past couples who had stopped dancing and were unabashedly staring. He noticed Rafe and Megan running in from the other side, and as he reached Blair Jim saw Megan stop, turn and grab another man.

"Rafe!" Jim pointed, and Rafe swung around and went to help Megan.

They took the two men to the manager's office, where a quick search showed that both were in possession of a number of wallets and several watches.

"Pretty professional, to get those watches off people's wrists!" Rafe muttered.

From outside, they heard a woman - "My watch! It's missing!"

Jim glanced at Megan. "Go and get her."

It was easy for Megan to spot the near-hysterical woman, and she urged her into the office. Jim nodded at the watches. "Is one of those yours?" he asked.

She pointed to one. "That one.

Jim slipped it into an evidence bag, and gave her a pencil and a small sheet of paper. "Will you write your name and address on that, please." She did, and he folded the paper and slipped it in beside the watch. "I'm afraid we'll have to hold on to it for the moment, because it's evidence, but we'll return it to you as soon as possible."

She was the first of several to identify a watch or a wallet. One man was somewhat indignant that he couldn't just be given his property immediately; Blair exlained, and calmed him down.

A patrol car arrived, the two men were read their rights and taken away.

"If there were any others, they'll have abandoned everything and gone home," Jim said.

The other three agreed; and they all went home.

 


End file.
